Sealtop Garnets
The sealtop is one of the classic gemstone cuts. Its flat upper surface recalls the form of ancient sealstones.
In the Hellenistic and Roman world, gemstones were valued not only as ornaments, but also as carriers of images, symbols, and identity. Garnets, admired for their rich red colour, belonged to this world of engraved gems, ringstones, and refined personal objects.
Among the recurring motifs of this visual language was Apollo. As the god of music, harmony, and order, he appears widely in the visual culture of the Hellenistic and Roman world, including on engraved gems. Other common motifs included deities such as Dionysos and Eros, as well as mythological scenes, personal portraits, and philosophical symbols.
The sealtop preserves this tradition in a particularly direct way. Its flat face is well suited to intaglio engraving. Yet even without engraving, it retains a quiet presence and makes a strong personal statement.
Sealtop garnets are a classic choice for jewellery that combines character and beauty.
Bufftop Garnets
The bufftop shares much of its historical background with the sealtop.
Its defining feature, however, is different: instead of a flat top, the bufftop shows a gently convex surface. This convex surface follows the natural surface of a garnet rough stone much better than the flat surface of a sealtop, thus preserving more of the rough material for carving the relief image of a cameo.
For unengraved ringstones in particular, the bufftop has a special elegance. The curved surface enhances the depth of colour and gives the stone a quiet refinement that feels both very classical and timeless.
Hermann Lind II is well known for providing jewellery designers worldwide with the timeless elegance of sealtop and bufftop garnets.